Gold price, July 9 to October 10, 2025.

The price started to gain traction at the end of August, after US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled a change in policy during his remarks at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium. By September 2, the gold price had broken through US$3,500 for the first time, and by September 8 it had climbed above US$3,600.

As the month wore on, gold continued its unprecedented climb. It broke through US$3,700 on September 22, US$3,800 on September 29 and reached its quarterly high of US$3,858.41 on September 30.

The price continued on its upward trajectory as the fourth quarter began, rising above US$3,900 on October 6, and finally setting a new record high of US$4,040.42 on October 8.

Why are investors interested in gold?

Mind Money CEO Julia Khandoshko suggested that geopolitics is a driving force behind gold’s record-breaking run, noting that tensions are high as the world becomes increasingly divided into “risk” and “stability” zones.

While geopolitics may be a primary factor, it’s far from the only one.

The third quarter saw declining yield curves, a weakening US dollar and a 25 basis point interest rate cut from the Fed in September, all of which added tailwinds to the gold price. Looking forward, the expectation is that the Fed will make further rate cuts before the end of the year, which could further fuel a rising gold price.

‘The history of the last hundred years shows that gold grows confidently at low rates. Combine this with stubborn inflation, and we can say with confidence that it will create more space for gold’s price rise,” Khandoshko stated.

Additionally, there is an expectation that a weaker US dollar will help to keep the price of gold elevated. So far this year, the US Dollar Index has declined 8 percent.

“The US dollar is a critical component to what happens to gold, because gold is denominated in US dollars, so the weaker the US dollar, the stronger the commodity price. What we’re expecting to see over the next 12 to 24 months is continued devaluation of the US dollar, which means gold should continue to be stronger going forward,” he said.

Among the recent drags on the dollar is fear of a prolonged shutdown of the US federal government after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement to continue funding government agencies and employees.

In the aftermath of the shutdown, the US Dollar Index posted its worst week since July. In an October 3 Reuters article, Thierry Wizman, monetary strategist with Macquarie, suggests that a prolonged shutdown could have a significant impact on trust in the federal government and further impact the strength of the greenback.

Gold price forecast for 2025

Hodaly sees the factors behind gold’s price rise remaining in place for the foreseeable future.

“We are expecting this could go much higher, at least 10 to 20 percent higher in the near term,’ he said.

‘Nothing has changed with the demand outlook for gold and the projected weakness of the US dollar, and that’s what’s going to drive the commodity price higher,’ added the executive.

Gold equities are also expected to benefit as the rising price boosts their margins and share prices.

Leading producers such as Agnico Eagle Mines (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM), Newmont (NYSE:NEM,ASX:NEM) and Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) have seen their share prices rise by over 100 percent in 2025.

The junior space has also been impacted, with PPX Mining (TSXV:PPX,OTC Pink:SNNGF) posting a year-to-date gain of 642 percent as of October 1, and San Lorenzo Gold (TSXV:SLG,OTC Pink:SNLGF) increasing 629 percent.

With gold now trading above US$4,000, the sector could attract renewed interest and offer new opportunities for investors. Those seeking to include gold or gold stocks in their portfolios might consider options ranging from the relative safety of ETFs and established producers to riskier assets at the development or exploration stages.

1. Talisker Resources (TSX:TSK)

Year-to-date gain: 390.63 percent
Market cap: C$204.34 million
Share price: C$1.57

Talisker Resources is a gold exploration and development company focused on advancing its flagship Bralorne gold project in British Columbia, Canada, towards production from the Mustang underground mine.

The brownfield project consists of the historic Bralorne mine complex, which hosts three past-producing mines: Bralorne, Pioneer and King. Throughout their lifetimes, these mines produced 4.2 million ounces of gold, but operations were halted in 1971 due to low gold prices.

A January 2023 resource estimate outlines an indicated resource of 33,000 ounces of gold from 117,000 metric tons of ore with an average grade of 8.9 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold, along with an inferred resource of 1.63 million ounces from 8 million metric tons of ore at 6.3 g/t.

On January 8, Talisker announced that its 2025 Mustang mine plan had been reviewed by inspectors from the BC Ministry of Mines and Critical Minerals, and on February 11, the company indicated that early-stage work at the site had begun and was on schedule. Further updates throughout the first and second quarters indicated that development was continuing, noting the blasting of a diamond drill bay on March 26 and the lateral development toward the Alhambra vein on April 9.

On July 30, Talisker reported that it entered into three definitive agreements with metals trader Ocean Partners, including two sales agreements, under which Ocean Partners will buy 100 percent of gravity and sulfide gold concentrates produced under Talisker’s current milling agreement. The third agreement makes Ocean Partners the exclusive agent for end-to-end transport of concentrates from the mill to international buyers.

The most recent update from the mine came on September 8, when Talisker announced that it had completed its first sale, selling 707 ounces of gold from Bralorne for US$2.3 million. The company stated that the sale marked a key milestone as it transitions from developer to active producer.

After climbing through Q3, shares of Talisker reached a year-to-date high of C$1.66 on October 6.

2. Troilus Gold (TSX:TLG)

Year-to-date gain: 347.46 percent
Market cap: C$504.70 million
Share price: C$1.32

Troilus Gold is advancing its namesake property in Northern Québec, Canada. The project is situated within the region covered by Plan Nord, a 25 year, C$80 billion development initiative focused on mining launched by the Government of Québec.

A May 2024 feasibility study for the Troilus project revealed financials with a post-tax net present value of US$884.5 million, an internal rate of return of 14 percent and a payback period of 5.7 years based on a gold price of US$1,975 per ounce.

The included mineral resource estimate reports a probable mineral reserve of 6.02 million ounces of gold from 380 million metric tons of ore at an average grade of 0.49 g/t gold. It also hosts probable copper and silver reserves of 484 million pounds and 12.15 million ounces respectively.

Troilus has spent much of 2025 raising funds for the project’s development. The most significant came on March 13, when the company executed a mandate letter for a non-binding term sheet to arrange a debt financing package of up to US$700 million. The package is underpinned by four letters of intent from global export credit agencies in late 2024 for up to US$1.3 billion in combined potential financing.

On June 18, the company entered into an offtake agreement for gold-copper concentrate with German smelting company Aurubis (OTC Pink:AIAGF,XETRA:NDA), and the two companies signed a memorandum of agreement on August 26, establishing terms for the long-term offtake deal.

On July 10, Troilus entered into another commercial offtake agreement for copper and gold concentrates, this time with global metals company Boliden.

According to Troilus, these offtake agreements will be executed in connection with the previously announced US$700 million in debt financing.

Shares of Troilus reached a year-to-date high of C$1.42 on October 6.

3. Euro Sun Mining (TSX:ESM)

Year-to-date gain: 300 percent
Market cap: C$72.47 million
Share price: C$0.18

Euro Sun Mining is a development-stage company advancing its Rovina Valley copper-gold project in Romania. The project’s mining license received full approval for 20 years in 2018, with the option to renew it in five year increments.

An updated feasibility study from March 2022 shows a post-tax net present value of US$512 million and an internal rate of return of 20.5 percent, assuming a base case gold price of US$1,675 and a copper price of US$3.75 per pound.

Proven and probable mineral reserve estimates for the site include 1.84 million ounces of gold and 197,522 metric tons of copper from 123.3 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 0.47 g/t gold and 0.16 percent copper.

Shares of Euro Sun saw significant gains around the same time as a March 25 announcement that the EU included Rovina Valley on its first list of strategic assets. The inclusion, which Euro Sun applied for in May 2024, will enable the company to expedite permitting at Rovina Valley and shorten the development timeline.

On May 7, Euro Sun reported it met with Romania’s Minister of the Environment to discuss the advancement of the project. Both parties agreed that a single point of contact was needed to ensure compliance and fulfill requirements under the CRMA framework. The company plans to submit an updated environmental act in the near future.

On June 20, Euro Sun signed a copper concentrate prepayment facility for up to US$200 million with private metals trader Trafigura, with the funding going toward permitting and investment to advance Rovina over the next 18 months.

Then, on July 11, the companies entered into a definitive pre-development facility agreement, with Trafigura making a facility of up to US$2.5 million available to Euro Sun for general corporate purposes while negotiating the terms of the US$200 million prepayment facility.

Euro Sun and Trafigura also agreed to a binding offtake agreement for up to 100 percent of commercial production for nine years or until a specified quantity of metals is delivered.

Shares of Euro Sun reached a year-to-date high of C$0.235 on August 14.

4. Vista Gold (TSX:VGZ)

Year-to-date gain: 282.5 percent
Market cap: C$369.28 million
Share price: C$3.06

Vista Gold is a development company advancing its flagship Mount Todd project in the Northern Territory, Australia, to production. The site covers an area of 153,700 hectares and hosts two significant gold deposits, Batman and Quigley.

Vista Gold has invested more than US$110 million since it acquired the property in 2006, with expenses including more than 60,000 meters of drilling along with metallurgical testing. The company has also received environmental and operating permits to begin development at Mount Todd.

On July 29, Vista Gold released its feasibility study for Mount Todd evaluating near-term development of a smaller, 15,000 metric ton per day operation compared to the option in 2024’s feasibility study. The new report demonstrated strong project economics, indicating an after-tax net present value of US$1.1 billion, with an internal rate of return of 27.8 percent and a payback period of 2.7 years, assuming a gold price of US$2,500 per ounce.

Once complete, the mine is expected to produce an average of 146,000 ounces of gold per year over a 30 year mine life, with an average of 153,000 ounces of gold over the first 15 years.

Additionally, an included updated mineral resource estimate reports a measured and indicated resource of 9.12 million ounces of contained gold from the property, with an average grade of 0.83 g/t, derived from 340.43 million metric tons of ore.

Shares in Vista Gold spiked in September, reaching a year-to-date high of C$3.08 on September 19.

5. International Tower Hill Mines (TSX:ITH)

Year-to-date gain: 250 percent
Market cap: C$473.98 million
Share price: C$2.45

International Tower Hill Mines is an exploration and development company focused on advancing its Livengood gold property in Alaska, US.

The property, situated in the Tolovana Mining District, comprises multiple patented, state, and federal mining claims spanning an area of 19,546 hectares. Extensive gold exploration has been conducted at the site since the early 1900s, resulting in the production of more than 500,000 ounces of gold in the area.

A 2021 pre-feasibility study demonstrated a significant resource: The site hosts proven and probable reserves of 9 million ounces of gold with an average grade of 0.65 g/t gold from 430.1 million metric tons of ore.

The economic case suggested an after-tax net present value of US$45 million, with an internal rate of return of 5.3 percent and a payback period of 10.4 years, assuming a gold price of US$1,680 per ounce.

International Tower Hill Mines announced on March 4 that it had completed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of US$3.9 million.

The funds were largely earmarked for a US$3.7 million work plan announced on March 12, with a significant focus on the metallurgical study of antimony mineralization in the stibnite at the Livengood gold project. The plan also includes advancing baseline environmental data collection and waste rock geochemical analysis to support permitting efforts, as well as community engagement.

Results from the metallurgical tests, released on September 4, indicated that the stibnite at Livengood also carried significant grades of antimony, with one assay sample submitted for revaluation returning a grade of 4.19 g/t gold and 2.75 percent antimony.

The company stated that the results warrant a further phase of test work to assess how the samples respond to flotation and determine the characteristics of any resulting concentrates.

Shares in International Tower Hill Mines reached a year-to-date high of C$2.60 on October 3.

Investor Insight

CoTec Holdings (CoTec) is a resource extraction and processing company that identifies and deploys breakthrough technologies to turn undervalued assets into high-margin businesses. By combining innovation with strategic execution, the company offers a unique investment opportunity, characterized by low cost, lower capex, faster cash flow generation, and superior returns.

Overview

CoTec (TSXV:CTH,OTCQB:CTHCF) applies innovative, disruptive technology to undervalued resource assets, aiming to create a portfolio of 20 to 30 modular “mini-mines” or processing facilities. By focusing on strategic minerals — such as rare earths, copper and iron ore — critical to advanced manufacturing, defense, AI and electrification, the company transforms waste materials into valuable strategic commodities. This approach establishes the potential for high-margin revenue streams and positions CoTec for continued growth.

Through investments and efficient processing methods, CoTec targets areas like rare earth magnet recycling, green steel production and copper waste processing — sectors crucial to today’s evolving economies. For investors, this represents a straightforward opportunity to support a forward-thinking company poised for long-term appreciation.

CoTec is advancing six cutting-edge technologies and three strategic assets, with a medium-term goal of acquiring 10 technologies and 20 to 30 assets. The company’s business model is supported by partnerships, joint ventures (JVs), and a disciplined capital management strategy to unlock value across its portfolio.

CoTec is guided by a highly experienced management team and board of directors with deep expertise in mining, technology and corporate finance.

Why Invest in CoTec?

Investors looking for a high-potential opportunity with strong alignment to global trends in sustainability and technology will find CoTec an attractive choice. Here’s why:

1. Significant Upside Potential: CoTec’s innovative approach to deploying cutting-edge, disruptive technologies across undervalued and waste assets creates a scalable business model. By targeting sectors of strategic importance such as rare earth magnet recycling, green steel production, and copper waste processing, CoTec aligns with critical global trends that ensure relevance and growth.
2. Strategic Positioning: The company is well-positioned in sectors that are increasingly recognized as strategic priorities, with the application of rare earths and other critical minerals in artificial intelligence, renewable energy and defense.
3. Experienced Leadership and Insider Confidence: With a leadership team boasting decades of experience in the resource sector and significant insider ownership (approximately 74 percent of the company is owned by management and insiders), CoTec’s leadership is deeply invested in the company’s success.
4. Environmental Responsibility: CoTec’s focus on low-carbon resource extraction technologies not only aligns with global sustainability goals but also enables investors to generate financial returns while contributing to environmental stewardship.
5. Catalysts for Growth: The company has a clear roadmap with multiple catalysts in the near term, which may include studies, expansions and potential funding announcements, which are expected to unlock further value for shareholders.*

Company Highlights

• CoTec deploys cutting-edge, low-carbon technologies to marginal assets, reclamation opportunities and recycling initiatives, transforming waste materials into strategic, high-value commodities.
• The company holds stakes in six groundbreaking technologies — HyProMag, Binding Solutions, MagIron, Ceibo, WaveCrackerTM, and Salter. These technologies are designed to unlock significant value across strategically chosen assets. The Lac Jeannine iron project in Quebec, with an after tax NPV of US$59.9 million, stands on its own merits but could see further economic and environmental enhancements through the application of CoTec’s technologies. Similarly, HyProMag USA is pioneering the rollout of HyProMag’s rare earth recycling technology in the United States, delivering low-cost, magnet-to-magnet recovery of rare earth sintered magnets.
• CoTec accelerates the transition from discovery to production through proprietary technologies and strategic joint ventures, enabling significantly faster revenue generation compared to traditional mining operations.
• Backed by a management team with extensive expertise in mining, finance and technology, CoTec is uniquely positioned to drive innovation and growth in the critical minerals sector.
• Approximately 74 percent of the company is owned by management and insiders, demonstrating the leadership’s strong commitment to the company’s success.
• Although CoTec is trading at an ~88 percent discount to its Net Asset Value, various near-term catalysts have the potential to reduce this valuation gap

Key Technologies and Assets

HyProMag USA Project

The HPMS process enables magnet-to-magnet short-loop recycling to produce domestically sourced recycled rare earth magnets with a very low cost, and lowest CO2 footprint, bypassing the extensive chemical refining and reprocessing of traditional long-loop processes. HPMS uses 88 percent less energy, 85 percent less water and reduces CO2 by 85 percent. It eliminates complex separation stages, reduces material losses, and lowers operational risk. This streamlined approach is faster, more economical, and strategically critical for the U.S., ensuring self-sufficiency in AI, robotics, and defense, where reliance on Chinese rare earths poses a major geopolitical risk.

HyProMag USA, a US Government Minerals Security Partnership Project, leverages the Hydrogen Processing of Magnetic Scrap (HPMS) technology to recover NdFeB magnets from end-of-life electronics and industrial waste. This revolutionary hydrogen-based recycling process provides a much simpler, lower-risk, and more cost-effective alternative to conventional rare earth extraction, reducing reliance on traditional mining and imports. Over US$100 million was spent on R&D, developed by the University of Birmingham over 15 years.

A feasibility study released in November 2024, underscored the HyProMag USA project potential to become a game-changing domestic source of recycled rare earth magnets for the United States. CoTec, which owns 60.3 percent of HyProMag USA (50 percent through the US JV with Maginito, and CoTec’s 20.3 percent equity ownership in Maginito), is targeting a total annual production capacity of 1,041 tons of recycled NdFeB magnets over a 40-year operating life, post-tax net present value (NPV) of US$262 million at current market prices, increasing to US$503 million at independent forecast prices. HyProMag USA is targeting 10 percent of USA’s domestic demand for NdFeB magnets within five years of commissioning, with three plants targeting ~3,000 tons of recycled NdFeB magnets, which is three times what was contemplated in the November 2024 feasibility study.

By tapping into the United States’ push for domestically sourced critical mineral resources, HyProMag USA will position itself as a pivotal player in reshaping the permanent magnet supply chain, providing investors with an opportunity to align with a project at the intersection of sustainability, innovation and economic growth.

Lac Jeannine Iron Project

Located in Quebec, the Lac Jeannine Project is an advanced-stage iron tailings project with a published Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA – preliminary economic assessment). The project involves reprocessing approximately 73 million tonnes (Mt) of tailings to produce high-purity iron concentrate. The PEA incorporated the 2023 drill-program, providing an initial Inferred Mineral Resource of approximately 73 Mt at 6.7 percent total Fe for 4.9 Mt of contained total Fe. Though the PEA is based on an initial 10-year life of mine, estimates are the life of mine could be extended by as much as a further 10 years with further drilling and resource definition during the feasibility study in 2025. Based on open-pit extraction methods and the production of a gravity concentrate via conventional processing techniques and at a discount rate of 7 percent (based solely on an initial 10-year life of mine), the PEA indicated a pre-tax NPV of US$93.6 million, and an IRR of 38 percent, and an after tax NPV of US$59.5 million, and an IRR of 30 percent.

The Independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 for the Lac Jeannine Mineral Resource, Mr. Christian Beaulieu, P.Geo., is a member of l’Ordre des géologues du Québec (#1072). The Qualified Person has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content relating to the Lac Jeannine Mineral Resource.

MagIron

MagIron focuses on restarting a brownfield iron ore concentrator in Minnesota to produce DR-grade iron concentrate for low-carbon steel production. The company is targeting production capacity of 2 to 3 Mt of concentrate annually with an operational life exceeding 20 years. MagIron is positioned to capitalize on the demand for U.S.-based green steel, with preliminary valuations showing significant uplift since CoTec’s initial investment. CoTec has a 16 percent equity interest in MagIron.

Binding Solutions (BSL)

BSL’s cold agglomeration technology converts mining waste into ISO-compliant pellets or briquettes, primarily for green steel production. This process is a game-changer in the industry, offering substantial reductions in energy use and emissions. CoTec’s equity in BSL has grown significantly in value, with the most recent valuation of the company exceeding US$158 million, a 107 percent increase from CoTec’s initial investment.

Ceibo

Ceibo’s low-carbon, low-cost oxidative heap leaching technology enhances recovery rates for sulphide copper minerals such as chalcopyrite. The technology potentially improves copper recovery from 30 percent to 80 percent, making it a potential industry-leading solution for copper extraction. CoTec has a seat on Ceibo’s technical advisory board along with its minority equity interest, and is identifying copper assets where the technology could be applied in the form of a joint venture.

WaveCracker^TM

CoTec has entered into a joint collaboration and investigation agreement with McGill University, Québec, Canada. The project, WaveCrackerTM, will investigate extended applications of microwave technologies aiming to improve low-carbon, economic recovery of valuable metals from a range of mineral targets. The initial focus will be on copper recoveries, particularly in advanced sulphide leaching applications. This collaboration builds upon, and extends, domain knowledge with new learnings and, in combination with other technologies, offers the potential for the low-carbon, low cost production of “new” copper metal.

As part of the project collaboration, CoTec will leverage McGill’s considerable experience in mineral processing and depth of research knowledge in the field of applied microwave technologies over the last 30 years.

Salter Cyclones

CoTec has signed a binding long-term exclusivity and collaboration agreement with Salter Cyclones Limited (“Salter”) for the application of its Multi-Gravity Separators (MGS) technology for the recovery of iron ore and manganese from both primary mining and tailings material.

Salter’s MGS technology was originally developed in the 1980s by Richard Mozley and has been in operation for many years applied to the recovery of valuable metal minerals (tin, chromium, copper, zinc etc). Its application to bulk commodities such as iron and manganese has been limited.

CoTec believes the technology could represent a step change in the bulk handling of iron and manganese tailings, offering the company the opportunity to produce high grade critical mineral iron and manganese concentrates from ultra fine tailings, material which is currently classified as waste and sent directly to tailings storage facilities.

As part of the collaboration CoTec will have an Exclusivity Period for the application of the MGS to iron ore globally and manganese in the United States, South Africa and Brazil for three (3) years. This Exclusivity Period can be extended by achieving certain milestones. CoTec and Salter will actively collaborate on an asset-by-asset basis to apply the technology to identified iron and manganese assets.

Management & Leadership

Julian Treger – CEO

With over three decades of experience in natural resources and finance, Julian Treger is the driving force behind CoTec’s innovative approach to resource extraction. Previously the CEO of Anglo Pacific Group, Treger successfully transitioned the company from a coal-focused royalty business to a battery-metals-focused streaming company, growing its income from £3 million in 2013 to nearly £62 million in 2021. Treger also brings significant expertise from his roles at Audley Capital and various board positions across the mining sector.

Lucio Genovese – Chairman

A seasoned executive with more than 30 years of experience in metals and mining, Lucio Genovese has held leadership roles at Glencore and is the CEO of Nage Capital Management in Switzerland. He is also chairman at Ferrexpo and a member of the board of directors of Mantos Copper S.A. and Nevada Copper. His deep industry knowledge and expertise in value creation through joint ventures and operational excellence are pivotal to CoTec’s success.

Tom Albanese

Tom Albanese served as chief executive officer of Rio Tinto from 2007 to 2013 and as chief executive officer and director of Vedanta Resources and Vedanta Limited from 2014 to 2017. He currently serves as lead independent director of Nevada Copper and non-executive director of Franco-Nevada, and was previously on the board of directors of Ivanhoe Mines, Palabora Mining Company and Turquoise Hill Resources. He holds a Master of Science degree in mining engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in mineral economics both from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Robert Harward – Non-executive Director

Robert Harward is a retired United States Navy vice admiral (SEAL) and a former deputy commander of the United States Central Command. He served on the US National Security Council in The White House and led several multi-national special forces commands in Afghanistan and Iraq. He joined Lockheed Martin in 2014 as their chief executive in the UAE and expanded his responsibilities to cover the Middle East, leaving to join Shield AI as executive vice-president for international business development and strategy based in the UAE.

Sharon Fay – Non-executive Director

A global investment industry leader with more than 35 years of experience, Sharon Fay has extensive expertise in corporate responsibility and strategic evaluation, making her instrumental in CoTec’s ESG initiatives and governance.

Margot Naudie – Non-executive Director

Magot Naudie is a seasoned capital markets professional with 25 years of experience as senior portfolio manager for North American and global natural resource portfolios. She has held senior roles at leading multi-billion-dollar asset management firms including TD Asset Management, Marret Asset Management and CPP Investment Board. Naudie is the president of Elephant Capital, and the co-founder of Abaxx Technologies. She sits on a number of public and private company boards. Naudie holds an MBA from Ivey Business School and a BA from McGill University. She is also a chartered financial analyst.

Erez Ichilov – Non-executive Director

With a background in mining, technology and project investments, Erez Ichilov has driven multiple ventures in battery materials, critical minerals and sustainable exploration, aligning well with CoTec’s strategic goals.

John Singleton – COO

John Singleton has more than 25 years of experience in the mining industry, including senior roles at Rio Tinto, De Beers Consolidated Mines and Centamin. His background in corporate development, strategy project evaluation, operations and project development equips CoTec with the expertise necessary for scaling its portfolio of assets and technologies. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geological Society and holds a BSc from the University of Bristol and a MSc in Engineering Geology from Imperial College London.

Abraham Jonker – CFO

Abraham Jonker brings 30 years of financial leadership in the mining industry, with a focus on corporate transactions, equity and debt financing, and strategic growth. He has played a pivotal role in raising over $750 million for mining ventures and has served on the boards of other prominent mining companies.

Investor Insight

Empire Metals (OTCQB:EPMLF, AIM:EEE) is unlocking one of the world’s largest and purest titanium deposits at its flagship Pitfield project in Western Australia. With growing global demand, a looming supply deficit, and near-term development milestones, Empire offers a compelling investment opportunity in the critical minerals space.

Overview

Empire Metals (OTCQB:EPMLF, AIM:EEE) is an Australian focused exploration and resource development company rapidly gaining international attention for its discovery and rapid development of what is believed to be the world’s largest titanium deposit.

The company is focused on advancing its flagship asset, the Pitfield project, located in Western Australia, a tier 1 mining jurisdiction. With a dominant landholding of more than 1,000 sq km, and a titanium mineral system that spans 40 km in strike length, Pitfield is emerging as a district-scale “giant” discovery with the potential to reshape the global titanium supply landscape.

Empire Metals reported a maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) at the Pitfield Project in Western Australia, indicating one of the largest and highest-grade titanium resources reported globally, totalling 2.2 billion tonnes grading 5.1percent titanium dioxide (TiO²) for 113 million tonnes of contained TiO2

Empire’s strategic focus on titanium comes at a pivotal time. Titanium is officially recognized as a critical mineral by both the European Union and the United States, owing to its essential role in aerospace, defense, medical technologies, clean energy and high-performance industrial applications. Global demand for titanium dioxide — the most widely used form of titanium — is surging due to its unmatched properties as a pigment and as a feedstock for titanium metal. Titanium supply chains are also increasingly being constrained by geopolitical risks, mine depletion and environmental challenges associated with traditional production. More than 60 percent of the global supply chain is currently concentrated in a handful of countries, notably China and Russia, creating significant vulnerabilities for Western markets.

Titanium has been designated as a critical mineral in both the EU and the US.

Against this backdrop, Empire Metals offers investors a compelling opportunity to gain exposure to a strategically vital metal through a large-scale, high-grade and clean titanium discovery. Unlike many traditional titanium sources, Pitfield’s mineralization is exceptionally pure — free from detrimental amounts of uranium, thorium, chromium and other contaminants — making it ideally suited for premium, high-purity end markets. Furthermore, the mineralized zone is near-surface and laterally extensive, allowing for low-strip and scalable bulk mining with conventional processing technologies.

With more than 22,000 meters of drilling already completed and only a fraction of the mineral system tested, Empire is aggressively advancing Pitfield towards a maiden JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate, targeted for H2-2025. Alongside this work, the company is also undertaking bulk sampling and metallurgical processing to advance flowsheet design and optimize product specifications. It is also engaging with industry players to assess product suitability for premium pigment and titanium sponge markets. Empire is planning to finalize, during the current calendar year, a mining study to evaluate the potential for a low-cost strip mining approach, utilizing continuous mining techniques.

The company is supported by a seasoned leadership team with deep expertise in exploration, resource development, mining, metallurgy and capital markets — ensuring that strategic decisions are guided by both technical excellence and a strong track record of value creation.

Company Highlights

• The flagship Pitfield project is the world’s largest known titanium discovery. It’s a district-scale “giant” titanium mineral system, characterised by high-grade, high-purity titanium mineralisation exhibiting exceptional continuity.
• Titanium is in a global supply deficit and recognized as a critical mineral by the EU and US.
• Drill intercepts at Pitfield include up to 202 meters at 6.32 percent titanium dioxide (TiO2) from surface, confirming vast scale and grade.
• Pitfield Project MRE totals 2.2 billion tonnes at 5.1 percent titanium dioxide (TiO₂), containing 113 million tonnes of titanium dioxide, including a substantial indicated resource of 697 million tonnes at 5.3 percent titanium dioxide.
• Empire Metals operates in one of the world’s most secure, mining-friendly jurisdictions: Western Australia.
• The company is led by an experienced, agile team, with proven expertise in exploration, mine development, and value creation across multiple commodities.
• With a number of key development catalysts planned for 2025, including a maiden resource estimate, bulk sampling for scale-up of metallurgical testwork, and product optimisation, Empire remains significantly undervalued relative to its peers.

Key Projects

Pitfield Project – A World-Class Titanium Discovery

Located in Western Australia, the Pitfield project is Empire Metals’ flagship asset and represents one of the most exciting titanium discoveries globally. Spanning an area of approximately 1,042 sq km, the project has revealed a colossal mineral system measuring 40 km in length and up to 8 km in width, with geophysical indications of mineralization extending to at least a depth of 5 km.

Pitfield’s prime location in Western Australia

Extensive drilling across the project has intercepted thick, laterally continuous zones of high-grade titanium dioxide mineralization, highlighting the system’s enormous scale and consistency.

The titanium at Pitfield occurs predominantly in the minerals anatase and rutile within a weathered, in-situ cap that begins at surface. These minerals are exceptionally pure, often exceeding 90 percent titanium dioxide. They are free from harmful amounts of contaminants like uranium, thorium, chromium and phosphorus — qualities that are likely to make the deposit uniquely suitable for premium, high-purity titanium applications in aerospace, defense and clean technologies.

Pitfield is strategically located near the town of Three Springs, approximately 150 km southeast of the port city of Geraldton. The project benefits from direct access to essential infrastructure, including sealed highways, rail lines and an available water supply. This connectivity significantly enhances development potential by reducing logistics costs and simplifying future project build-out. Moreover, the Western Australian government actively supports critical mineral development, and Empire is operating within a stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction known for streamlined permitting and investment security.

Empire has completed more than 22,000 meters of drilling, confirming standout titanium dioxide (TiO2) results such as 154 meters at 6.76 percent TiO2, 148 meters at 6.49 percent TiO2, and 150 meters at 6.44 percent TiO2. Notably, mineralization remains open at depth in all tested zones, and to date, only around 5 percent of the interpreted system has been drilled. This underscores the immense upside potential for resource expansion.

The project’s development advantages are equally compelling: the mineralization is near-surface and amenable to simple, bulk mining methods with conventional processing. Its location in a tier-one mining jurisdiction offers access to infrastructure, a skilled workforce and strong regulatory support.

The Pitfield project presents a scalable processing pathway. Photo shows a gravity flotation test in process (left) and a close-up of a flotation test (right)

Pitfield is advancing toward a maiden JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate, expected by H2-2025. The project is already being recognized as a potential cornerstone asset in the global titanium supply chain.

In August 2025, Empire Metals achieved a metallurgical breakthrough, confirming that conventional processing can deliver strong results. Testwork returned 77 percent recovery in the rougher stage, 90 percent in cleaning, and 98 percent titanium dissolution, for an overall 67 percent titanium recovery. The process produced a high-purity TiO₂ concentrate grading 99.25 percent with ~5 percent Fe₂O₃, supporting plans for a lower-cost pilot plant.

Empire Metals has announced a maiden JORC (2012)-compliant mineral resource estimate (MRE) for its Pitfield Project in Western Australia, confirming one of the world’s largest and highest-grade titanium resources. The MRE totals 2.2 billion tonnes at 5.1 percent titanium dioxide, containing 113 million tonnes of titanium dioxide, including a substantial Indicated Resource of 697 million tonnes at 5.3 percent titanium dioxide.

The resource, defined across the Thomas and Cosgrove deposits, represents less than 20 percent of the known mineralised area, highlighting significant expansion potential. Drilling at Thomas has outlined a continuous 3.6-kilometre high-grade core averaging about 6 percent titanium dioxide, supporting an initial mine life exceeding 30 years.

Other Projects

In addition to Pitfield, Empire Metals maintains a portfolio of early-stage exploration assets offering optionality and exposure to other strategic and precious metals. Empire holds interests in two Western Australian projects — the Walton and Eclipse gold projects — both situated in historically productive mineral belts. While these assets are not the current focus, they contribute exploration upside and optionality within the company’s broader strategy.

Management Team

Neil O’Brien – Non-executive Chairman

Neil O’Brien is the former SVP exploration and new business development at Lundin

Mining, until he retired in 2018. He has an extensive global mining career as a PhD economic geologist, exploration leader and board executive.

Shaun Bunn – Managing Director

Shaun Bunn is a metallurgist based in Perth, Western Australia, with expertise in international exploration, mining, processing and development. He has a successful track record managing mining projects through all stages of development.

Greg Kuenzel – Finance Director

Based in London, Greg Kuenzel is a chartered accountant, and corporate finance and financial management expert. He has extensive experience working with resources-focused AIM listed companies.

Peter Damouni – Non-executive Director

With more than 20 years of corporate and finance experience focused in the natural resources sector, Peter Damouni holds executive and director roles in TSXV and LSE listed companies where he has played key roles in significantly enhancing shareholder value.

Phil Brumit – Non-executive Director

Phil Brumit is a veteran mining engineer and operations expert, delivering major global operations. His previous roles include international leadership positions at Freeport-McMoRan, Lundin Mining and Newmont Corporation.

Narelle Marriott – Process Development Manager

Narelle Marriott is a former BHP senior process engineer. Most recently, she was the general manager for process development for Hastings Technology Metals.

Andrew Faragher – Exploration Manager

Andrew Faragher is a former Rio Tinto exploration manager with more than 25 years of experience working across multiple commodities.

Arabella Burwell – Corporate Development

Arabella Burwell is a former Senior Director Corporate Development at NASDAQ-listed GoDaddy and a Partner, Capital Raising and Strategic Partnerships, at Hannam & Partners in London and South Africa.

Carrie Pritchard – Environmental Manager

Carrie brings over 20 years of international experience in environmental management, project development, regulatory approvals, and impact assessment. Her expertise spans mine closure and reclamation, stakeholder engagement, and the remediation of contaminated sites. She has led projects across Australia (Western Australia and Victoria) and New Zealand and has also contributed to initiatives in Malawi and Greenland.

David Parker – Commercial Manager

David Parker brings over 20 years of experience in equity capital markets, with a strong focus on the mining, industrial, and technology sectors. He has held senior roles as director and company secretary for several ASX-listed companies, providing strategic leadership and commercial oversight across diverse corporate environments.